In this fast-paced adventure, Sherlock Holmes attend a séance to unmask an impostor posing as a medium. His foe, Sebastian Melmoth, is a man hell-bent on discovering a mysterious Egyptian papyrus that may hold the key to immortality. It is up to Holmes and Watson to use their deductive skills to stop him or face disaster…

Review

For the form and the substance of the book, it is the same as another story of Sherlock Holmes, even if David Stuart Davis writes the book and not Arthur Conan Doyle, we cannot see the difference between the two. When you are not an English spoken, it takes a long time to read it because the vocabulary and the sentence structures are from the 19th century, so it is sometimes complicated to understand it. However, with time it is easier to read it since you got used to it. Furthermore, we can see the different point of view of the characters in alternation without specific indications. Instead of being problematic it improves the fluidity of the text. Finally, the story is short and captivating like every story of Sherlock Holmes.

The universe is the same as A. Conan Doyle stories, but this time, the tales is more mystic we can see it from the beginning in the prologue which is a part of the story. Even if, in the beginning, you do not understand the link between the prologue and the main part of the story. It is after a few chapters that you realize the connection between them and you are caught by the story. Furthermore, the investigation and the progress until the conclusion make it a compelling story because of the subject, the Ancient Egypt, and all the clues we have to find the criminal. It is easy to find them, but sometimes you doubt about the choice made because it seems too comfortable. We are like Dr. Watson we have many clues, and we need to link everything to find the guilty person. Whereas it is the fantastic part of the Ancient Egypt, every mystical thing is turned into a scientific one thanks to Sherlock Holmes and his logical brain. To finish, the end of the story is at the same time surprising and expected because you have all the clue and the last event happen, and you do not expect that.

We have no difficulty to recognize the characters in this story. Indeed, the duo Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson work very well. The author understood that we need to have the same characters with the same temper because if they do not have the same as the original story, it will change all the story. So we find a Sherlock Holmes who love his job of deduction a little childish because he lived in his world and didn’t know how to interact with other people except for Dr. Watson. Contrary, Dr. Watson is more low-brow and manage everything to make the life of Sherlock Holmes easier. However, he is more able to make deduction than before because with the contact of Sherlock he has developed this part of his brain.

Conclusion: It is an excellent book and not so much time to read. I think the adventure of Sherlock Holmes are a classic even if it is coming from A. Conan Doyle or other authors. It is not the first time I am reading a book from another author, and I am never disappointed, and I have high expectations for them. So I recommend this book to all Sherlock Holmes lovers.